The Little Known Connection Between Little Caesars and Rosa Parks

What do Little Caesars Pizza and Rosa Parks have in common? The story isn’t only a little-known one, but a heartwarming one as well.

Mike Ilitch was the man responsible for bringing the world Little Caesars Pizza, but another just as important part of who he was included being a charitable individual with a kind heart- which is how he ended up paying Civil Rights icon Rosa Parks’ rent for over 10 years.

Ilitch passed away on Feb. 10 and as news of his death spread, stories of his philanthropic nature began to resurface, including one about how he began paying Parks’ rent after her 1994 robbery at assault (Parks was 81 at the time).

“It’s important that people know what Mr. Mike Ilitch did for Ms. Rosa Parks because it’s symbolic of what he has always done for the people of our city,” former federal appeals judge Damon Keith told Sports Business Daily in 2014.

After the assault and robbery, Keith called real estate developed Alfred Taubman to see about getting Parks moved to a safer residence. The news made its way to Ilitch by way of newspaper and he immediately called Keith to let him know that he’d pay for Parks’ housing indefinitely.